Notes from Ray Kubacki

October 2017

THE FACTS

Inside this issue:

New Psychemedics Product:

Synthetic Cannabinoid Hair Test 2

Opioids and the Workforce:

National Safety Council Survey 3

Did You Know?

1st Lab Approved for Hair

Testing in Iowa

3

Dear Valued Clients and Friends,

We are excited to be the first hair testing laboratory to announce the

availability of a Synthetic Cannabinoids test. For over 30 years, our

company has been proud to offer the most effective hair testing

technology based upon scientifically validated drug testing methods. This first-of-its-kind

technology provides our clients with another method to keep drug testing programs current

as drug challenges change and evolve.

As your read more about our new offering on page 2 of this newsletter, please let us know if

you would like more information about how Psychemedics’ Synthetic Cannabinoid hair test

can improve your drug testing program. Our team is always ready to answer any questions.

Best Regards,

Ray

Psychemedics Corporation ~ Toll Free: 877.517.2033 ~ www.psychemedics.com

Raymond Kubacki, Chairman & CEO, Psychemedics Corporation

About Drug Abuse

WE WANT TO KNOW! Question of the Quarter:

What are you hearing about Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2, Spice, etc.) in your area?

Let us know!

Send an email to sales@psychemedics.com.

An article from LIVE SCIENCE

highlighted the strange behaviors being caused by users

of increasingly popular street drugs like K2 or Spice --

synthetic marijuana products made from dried herbs that are

laced with chemicals.

“As the use of these so-called synthetic marijuana drugs

escalates, TV and newspaper accounts report that users are

passing out on sidewalks, stumbling out into traffic, and

looking and acting like zombies."

The products became popular when they were marketed as

“safe” alternatives to marijuana that would not show up on a

standard drug test.

“People on synthetic cannabinoid products can act

Synthetic Marijuana like Spice or K2 is Far From Safe

anywhere from a bit confused

to completely out of their minds, depending on the dose

of K2 used and an individual's susceptibility to the drug, said

Dr. Anthony Scalzo, a professor of pediatrics and

chief of toxicology at Saint Louis University School of

Medicine in Missouri.”

Users often think that the drug’s effects will be similar to

those of marijuana, but instead can experience much stronger

and more bizarre symptoms. "Synthetic cannabinoids have

chemicals in them that were never meant to be inside the

human body," Scalzo told Live Science.

“Some versions of the drugs

are illegal and are sold on the street, but the versions that

are legal are sold in stores,

where their glitzy packages

marketed to young people may make them look

mainstream, natural and safe, Scalzo noted. But the

herbal blends, which may resemble potpourri, "can

make people do what they normally would not do

either to themselves or to others," Scalzo said.“

The compounds found in

these synthetic marijuana products can be between 10 and 200 times more

potent than THC, the main ingredient in marijuana.

CORPORATE EDITION

https://www.livescience.com/55382-why-does-synthetic-marijuana-make-people-act-like-zombies.html

Page 2

Page 2

The Psychemedics Test

• Marketed as a “Legal High” to marijuana

• Widely believed to be more dangerous than the real thing

• Although these products are often marketed as “safe” alternatives to

marijuana, they may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana

• Their effects can be unpredictable and severe

• The products on the market represent a constantly changing combination

of Synthetic Cannabinoid compounds

New Product Offered From Psychemedics:

Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) Testing

As the hair testing pioneer and scientific leader, we strive to provide our clients with the most innovative technology and products available. In line with our mission to meet the changing needs of the market, we are pleased to inform you that we are now offering a new hair Synthetic Cannabinoids test. This hair test looks for the compounds found in commonly abused products such as K2, Spice and Blaze.

Contact our Sales Team at 877-517-2033 to find out how this new test could benefit your organization or school.

WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS?

Slang/Street Terms

• Synthetic Marijuana

• Fake/Legal Weed

• Herbal Incense

• Potpourri

• K2/Spice (brand names)

B r a n d N a m e s

K2, Spice, Black Mamba,

Genie, Zohai

Psychemedics is the first laboratory in the world to develop and market a workplace hair test for Synthetic

Cannabinoids. Unlike urinalysis or oral fluid testing which typically detects drug use for only the previous one

to three days, Psychemedics hair analysis can detect use over the previous few months.

The screen for the Psychemedics test will be continually updated to address changes in the Synthetic

Cannabinoids market, adding additional parent compounds to the screen as they are identified and become

prevalent as reported by the scientific, law enforcement and regulatory communities.

Continued advancement and developments in the science of hair testing is critical to Psychemedics, and the

development of this new test provides the market with a unique and reliable test that identifies and

measures the use of Synthetic Cannabinoids over a period of time.

Synthetic Cannabinoids refer to man-made mind-altering chemicals that

are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be

smoked (herbal incense) or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in

e-cigarettes and other devices (liquid incense).

Page 3

Opioids and the Workforce An article in Safety and Health Magazine recently highlighted the growing opioid

epidemic, and the need for training, drug testing, and updated policies regarding

its use in the workplace.

“Epidemic” and “crisis” are just two of the words used to describe the current

state of opioid addiction in the United States. Overdoses related to opioids –

drugs such as oxycodone and morphine that doctors prescribe to help relieve

pain – claimed the lives of 33,000 Americans in 2015, the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention reports.”

The National Safety Council (NSC) released the results of a nationwide poll of

human resources officials in March, that found that “Seven out of 10 reported

that their organizations felt the effects of opioid usage – including absenteeism,

decreased productivity or safety incidents – yet only 19 percent felt “extremely

prepared” to handle opioid misuse. Further, only 13 percent felt “very

confident” that employees can recognize the signs of opioid misuse, and 76

percent don’t provide related training.”

The NSC survey also found that 43% of employers do not drug test all

employees, and 41% of that group does not test for any synthetic opioids.

“Employers should be demanding that their [employee assistance programs] be

screening for and treating or referring employees who have a substance abuse

issue, and they should be doing that on a routine basis,” said Eric Goplerud,

Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and vice president of the National Opinion

Research Center’s Public Health Department.

Benham said employers also should create a policy defining which drugs are

prohibited and outline the consequences of using them. The policy should

establish that workers must inform supervisors if they are using a prescription

drug that could cause impairment or affect work.”

Did You Know ?? Psychemedics is the first lab approved for hair testing in Iowa

On May 9, 2017, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed into law an Act

allowing private sector pre-employment drug testing using hair samples.

This law went into effect on July 1, 2017. Prior to the passage of this law,

Iowa only allowed private sector testing for drugs of abuse through urine,

blood, and oral fluid.

Psychemedics was instrumental in getting the law changed to include hair,

which has a much longer look-back period than other matrices. Less than

one month after the law went into effect, the Iowa Department of Public Health issued a letter approving

Psychemedics to conduct private sector pre-employment drug testing using hair.

KEY POINTS

More than 33,000 Americans

died from prescription

painkiller overdoses in 2015,

according to the Centers for

Disease Control and

Prevention.

A National Safety Council

poll of human resources

officials found that 7 out of

10 employers feel the effects

of opioid usage – such as

absenteeism, decreased

productivity or safety

incidents among employees.

Experts suggest employers

create policies to combat the

problem while providing

employee training and drug

testing.

http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16129-opioids-and-the-workforce

Superior Detection of Drug Abuse

PSYCHEMEDICS

CLIENT SERVICES INFO:

Client Services hours:

7:30 AM - 7:30 PM CST

Monday – Friday

5832 Uplander Way

Culver City, CA 90230

Phone: 800.522.7424

Fax: 800.643.2354

www.psychemedics.com

Why Choose Psychemedics?

Psychemedics Corporation is the world’s largest provider of hair testing for drugs of abuse and has been successfully operating for over 30 years. Thousands of corporations, nationally and internationally, rely on the patented Psychemedics drug testing services. Psychemedics’ clients include over 10% of the Fortune 500, many of the largest police departments both domestic and global, and Federal Reserve Banks. In addition, the Company serves schools and colleges around the world. Our team of experts stand ready to help through every step: policy development, communication, implementation and sustainability.

Since 1987, Psychemedics has offered the most effective hair testing technology, based on scientifically validated drug testing methods. All hair testing is not the same —our patented technology uses a unique process to release the drugs trapped in the hair without destroying the drugs and removes virtually 100% of the drugs from the hair. Our patent is fundamental to hair analysis drug testing because if you cannot get all the drugs out of the hair, you cannot accurately measure them; and if you cannot accurately measure the drugs, you cannot identify all of the drug users. This proprietary technology provides superior detection of drugs of abuse, and is what sets us apart.

Case Studies Available!

Making the case for change is often about understanding the benefits that others have

gained by changing their programs. If you would like to learn more about the implementation process and program results of our customers, please contact us at

info@psychemedics.com for copies of the case studies we have available.

ALL HAIR TESTING IS NOT THE SAME